Celebrating the NYC HBCU Football Classic
In celebration of the inaugural NYC Historically Black College Universities (HBCU) Football Classic in New York City, Nordstrom hosted a series of events to welcome HBCU students and alumni to our NYC Flagship store.
A VIP Reception
To kick it off, Howard University alumna Maya Allen and SVP of Nordstrom Rack Stores, Carl Jenkins co-hosted an incredible night of celebration and community. Howard University, Morehouse College and Spelman College alumni enjoyed refreshments and music by HBCU alumnus.
Carl Jenkins toasted the special evening, “I’ve been with Nordstrom for 30 years—I say that because at Nordstrom, one of our primary commitments is supporting and developing diverse talent and I’m an example of that. There are folks around us that are all here to get to know and meet talent.”
Students and alumni interacted with Nordstrom leaders and enjoyed food and drinks from our restaurant Bistro Verde.
A Pop ‘N’ Shop
Nordstrom invited HBCU alumni back in store to shop our Black-owned brands, pop-up experiences including our in-store services to get gameday ready. We were excited to welcome Collete V. Smith, the first African American female NFL coach who graduated from Tuskegee University.
The pop-up featured apparel from the Legacy. History. Pride, a collegiate fashion brand inspired by HBCUs. The brand founder and Howard University alumnus Tahir Murray attended to showcase his brand and interact with customers looking for fashionable gear to match their school pride.
Why did Nordstrom participate?
At Nordstrom, we know that in order to create a more diverse and equitable industry it takes true partnership. In fact, we believe that diversity is a business imperative which is why we've set big goals sch as increasing our presentation of Black and Latinx populations in people-manager roles by at least 50 percent by 2025 and leveraging internship programs to help reach qualified candidates early in their careers with the goal of at least 50 percent of participants in these programs coming from underrepresented populations. We are committed to deepening our relationships with HBCUs and will continue to invest in Black talent.